All of these terms can be translated as worry in Korean, but their meanings have different nuances. When do you use which one? I’ll run through them quickly, so let’s get into it!
고민 Meaning
고민 has more of a sense that you are thinking about something seriously. Possibly choosing between something or deciding on what to do. It can have the feeling of being concerned about a decision.
Quick Examples:
오늘 저녁에 무엇을 먹을지 고민이에요: I’m considering what to eat for dinner tonight
하고 싶은 일이 너무 많아 고민이에요: I’m debating many things that I want to do
고민하지 말고, 결정해: don’t worry about it, and decide
걱정 Meaning
걱정 is likely the first word you saw associated with worry in Korean. Fitting more with the English definition, I think. It means something you are worried will go wrong/bad, or a problem that could happen.
Some Examples:
지난주 연락이 없어 가지고 걱정했어요: I was worried because I didn’t hear from you last week
그는 비행기를 놓칠까봐 너무 걱정했었어: he was so worried about missing his plane
걱정하지 마요, 괜찮을 거예요!: don’t worry, it’ll be alright!
우려 Meaning
우려 is the one word you might see in more formal contexts (news, articles, presentations, and such). This refers to a worry or concern that affects multiple people, and a lot have expressed. Think of things like the concern for others, cost of living, crime, the environment, etc..
Examples such as:
인간 건강에 미치는 영향도 우려됩니다: there is also concern about the impact on human health
그 원유 유출 사고가 나면 막대한 피해가 우려됩니다: if that oil spill happens, there is worry there will be huge damage
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